Morgan County Heath Officials say that as of 4:30 pm, the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 remains at 1. The patient is currently listed in critical condition at Passavant Area Hospital, and is receiving care under isolation.
COVID-19 testing has been made available to local physicians and health care providers through a private laboratory. This allows doctors to test individuals who may not have met qualifications to be tested through the Illinois Department of Public Health.
Those wanting to be tested for COVID-19 must contact their primary care provider to discuss their symptoms. The primary care provider will coordinate testing through the health department.
Previously, only those who met IDPH qualifications – people who were hospitalized, people who had traveled to “hot zones” or people who had direct contact with a positive confirmed COVID-19 case – were tested.
Morgan County Health Department Officials say that the department recognizes the need to offer private lab services, which widen the qualifications for testing to symptomatic healthcare workers, the elderly, pregnant women or the immunosuppressed.
To date no specimens have been sent to private labs for testing.